A hearing hosted on Feb. 25 by the House Natural Resources Committee’s Subcommittee on Federal Lands showcased legislation that would severely undermine national public lands, elevating industrial uses over the conservation and protection of our parks, refuges, and forests.

The Tennessee Wilderness Act, introduced in the House by Rep. Phil Roe (R-Tenn) on Feb. 11, would expand two existing federal wilderness areas in the Cherokee National Forest, helping to safeguard vital wildlife habitat and clean drinking water for nearby communities.

Natural gas waste is a major contributor to climate change, as oil and gas companies release methane, a super pollutant, into the atmosphere. From 2009 to 2014, enough natural gas was intentionally wasted on federal lands to supply over 5 million households for a year!